


Maybe it's a second date?

by themoonowl



Series: A Real Hero [22]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Breaking and Entering, Drinking & Talking, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Mass Effect 3, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Samed Is A Boy Scout, Second Date, but also uses his hacking powers for uh good, change of scenery, the romance isn't eventual anymore folks, yes even three years later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 23:29:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20750561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themoonowl/pseuds/themoonowl
Summary: Samed and Kaidan go out. Again.This is basically a rewrite/recycle of the "Sanity Check" scene to better fit my dear boy Samed Shepard.





	Maybe it's a second date?

A string of happiness floated amidst the weave of hopelessness that hugged the Citadel, and there was almost a bounce to Samed's steps as he strode through its streets; his destination in sight—Apollo's Cafè—the one Kaidan had told him to meet at.

Three years had passed since the last time they did this. A period of time filled with Samed's death, the SR1's destruction, separation and mistrust—and finally—with Kaidan's innocuous offer of a drink on the Citadel.

There Kaidan stood, his form now even more the one of a statue from the Renaissance period, leaning on the terrace overlooking the place. Samed approached and Kaidan's face lit up, a white smile with warm, sparkling amber eyes.

"Perfect timing! Just saw a table free up. And—with a view."

"Great!" Samed’s heart jumped at the sight of him being all enthusiastic about this. "Lead the way, Major."

The two men sat on the table of Kaidan's choosing—a two-seat one in the outer corner, overlooking the Presidium. It had a view alright. But the person sitting across from him—his amber eyes focused intently on the menu—that view was much easier to admire.

"You said this place had steak?"

"It should. Surprised this place can still get supplies for a menu like this."

"Maybe it's better if we don't ask how. Or where."

Kaidan chuckled as he turned his gaze from the datapad and onto him, his wide lips forming a smile. "I'm glad we're taking the time to do this. I could use a sanity check."

"Yeah. Things have been pretty crazy lately." Samed picked up the datapad in front of him. "I could use a drink. Or several. What are you having?"

"Shot of whiskey and a good old Canadian lager. Think they have it?"

Samed skimmed through the short list of drinks the place had available. "More likely they have Batarian Shard Wine. Hey, what about that place we went to last time? They had some nice beer."

"I don't know if that one's still open."

"We can always check. You up for it?"

"I don't know…“ Kaidan placed a hand on his lips and furrowed his brows. “It's a long way from here."

"They might have those chicken wings." Samed raised a wry eyebrow at the Major to which his deep-in-thought facade broke into a grin almost instantly.

"Alright, you've won me over Shepard. Let's go."

After a Citadel Rapid Transit ride to the Wards and another ten minutes of search, they stumbled to the place. Only this time, the neon sign that said "Summer of 169" stood darkened and its doors closed.

"So much for those chicken wings," muttered Kaidan.

Samed turned his head left and right, checking the perimeter for any passerby. There were none. "Stay here and be on the lookout, Major." 

He crouched to where the door's lockbox would be and scanned it with his omni—an old Terra mechanism. This should be easy.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Shepard!" Kaidan whisper-shouted.

"Relax. This should take about five seconds." Samed fried some of the door's circuits and as was the deal with Terra doors—it slid open. "That should do it. Come on. Inside, fast!"

Kaidan did as he asked and once both of them were inside, Samed used the same technique to repair the wires and lock the doors again. Kaidan turned on the lights and the bar lit up; painting the whole place in its faint orange glow, revealing the large arsenal of drinks still standing.

"Didn't think we'd be breaking into a bar today. There’s never a dull moment with you, Shepard.”

"Well we had to top the last night out we had somehow."

"Breaking and entering. Yeah. That should do it alright. Come on, I see they have a Molson left standing."

"So," Samed sauntered towards the bar as Kaidan looked through the shelves of bottles. "You'll serve as my bartender tonight, Alenko?"

Kaidan slouched on the bar table. " _ So, what'll it be partner _ ?" he said with an exaggerated accent and voice before promptly breaking the act. "Actually, I think I saw something here you might like."

He turned around and took a bottle off the shelf. A greenish one with a seal comprised of red, green and black colors.

" _ Arak _ ?" Samed took the bottle in his hand—it was still in mint condition, the seal still standing. "Can't believe they have that here!" He handed it back to the Major with a raised eyebrow. "And I can't believe you remembered my ramblings from, what, three years ago?"

Kaidan's smile turned sour, gaze turned downwards. "Yeah… Ever since you—" He sighed. "Let's just say, that night has been on my mind a lot. Take that as you will."

"It's been on mine too. It was probably the last thing that—" Samed inhaled sharply and quickly. It wasn't something you tell someone lightly: that the last thing you remembered before you died was the night out you had with them. "Never mind. We came here to have fun. Not bring up old wounds."

"Agreed." Kaidan proceeded to get a small clean glass and filled about one-third of it with the  _ arak _ . He then pulled a bottle of water from the rafts and poured it over the transparent drink, turning it into a whitish milky color. It was odd to see someone prepare an  _ arak _ with all the steps included. Had Kaidan— Had he looked up how to do this? And if that night was still on his mind—

"Here you go, Shepard. One traditionally made  _ arak _ . I hope."

"Not too shabby Alenko. Picked this up from the extranet, I take it?"

"How dare you question my bartender capabilities, Commander? I am simply—" He dramatically placed his hand on his chest and slouched like he was in pain. "—wounded."

"Easy there, Major. I'd have to give you mouth to mouth." 

...That was stupid. Samed grinned if only to hide the discomfort and heat rising up his neck.

"You'd have to buy me drinks first, Shepard."

"While you’re in the middle of a heart attack?"

"Nothing like a good ol' lager to mess up the arteries as you're writhing in pain!" He raised up his bottle of beer. "To… to what do we make this one out, Shepard?"

"To your bartender capabilities, Alenko!" Samed raised his glass.

"And to… well, to you, Shepard,” his voice turned solemn. “Don't die again." 

"With you at my side Kaidan, I wouldn't dream of dying."

"Good."

Bottle clinked glass.

Samed took a large sip of the whitish drink, the overly sweet taste rolling on his tongue. He closed his eyes and old, comforting memories flashed before his eyes. Of his folks. Of the shenanigans he and his friends would find themselves in on his home planet. It was the same aroma, the same consistency that he always knew. And he had one man to thank for this bittersweet gulp of nostalgia. He opened his eyes to Kaidan, with his raised eyebrows over amber eyes, probably waiting to hear a review of his work.

"Reminds me of home." Samed gave a smile to the very capable bartender. "Thanks, Kaidan. I needed that. It was like I was there, on Mindoir."

"Glad to hear it." Kaidan let out a sigh of relief and his eyes had a special touch of warmth that hadn't been there before.

He took a swig of his beer before turning his focus on the Canadian-labeled bottle. "At my parents' place in Vancouver, drank more than a few beers on their balcony, looking over English Bay. Yeah." His eyes seemed to flow off in a daydream. "Beautiful view. Speaking of which, take these outside?"

"Alright. Not so sure about the view though."

"Can't be worse than the dangling Reaper pieces from last time."

Samed grimaced as the mental picture of Reapers' privates entered his mind. "Now there's an image I never wanna see."

Kaidan let out a hearty laugh as they walked the short distance to the bar's terrace, passing by the pool tables that stood dark and inactive.

With a little help from Samed's omni-tool, the doors opened to the neon majesty that were the Wards. Some parts had limited lighting; those probably being the places that housed refugees from the war. It was odd how things kept going even in the midst of it. It was odd how old feelings remained even after death itself.

Samed took another saccharine sip and turned to Kaidan, leaning on the railing, equally deep in thought. It was almost like the last time they were here. Only now he was a Major. And Samed—a revenant. Cerberus may have undone the will of God, but standing here next to this man—these feelings were as close to divine as living beings could ever hope to achieve.

"You know what?" Kaidan's silvery voice broke the silence. "I feel good about our chances."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Lets me sleep better at night."

"You're not sleeping Kaidan?"

Kaidan's eyes shifted, "Maybe a little restless…"

"What's on your mind?"

Kaidan took a long swig from the bottle. "Everything. The Reapers. Cerberus. You."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You know, my life flashed in front of my eyes on Mars—and there weren't enough moments like this, with people I care about. And the times we had before you—" He sighed. "Sorry. I keep coming back to that."

"It's okay." Samed scooted a bit closer, still lightly sipping his drink. "In many ways, those times were simpler."

"Yeah." The Major turned with a dry grin. "Like how I handed you your ass at pool the last time we were here."

"For all you know, I was letting you win, Alenko."

"Nah, nah, you gave me a hard time, but I rose to the challenge."

"Want a rematch? As I remember, you said you wanted to do that again."

Kaidan chuckled. "Oh, you're on!" He took another swig of the beer and firmly held it with both hands, slightly peeling off the sticker with his thumbs. "But. I didn't mean just that. I meant the whole, uh, date."

Samed's heart felt like bursting. "Date?"

"It… was a date, wasn't it?"

Samed smiled to himself. A thought was now on his mind—a memory of him hesitating to go for the kiss the last time they were here. There was no hesitation now.

"Huh. I was asking myself that the whole night. Guess it  _ was _ a date."

"And what about this here, now? Is this a second date?"

"If it is," Samed's heart was practically sunk to his feet at this point. A lick of his lips and a gulp and the words came out on their own. "It means I can do something I wanted to ever since then."

"Oh?" Kaidan raised an eyebrow and his voice lowered to a husky tone. "And what's that?"

Samed lunged forward and touched chapped lips; the smell of Canadian lager and cologne filled his senses. 

He broke contact as amber eyes peered into his and with a pull by the neck and a sigh, Kaidan's chapped lips ended on his again.

The moment when they leaned on this very terrace three years ago was the last thing that lingered as the nothingness of the cosmos drained what life he had left. And now a new spark breathed into his body with every tongue's flick, with every urge closer. If Heaven existed, it was this. It was him.


End file.
